Flexible fluid-joint.



0. G. HAWLEY.

FLEXIBLE FLUID JOINT. APPLICATION FILED MAY 6, I905.

Inventor PATENTED JAN. 1, 1907. V

UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES GILBERT HAWLEY', OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BYMESNEASSIGNMENTS, TO THE UNITED STATES FLEXIBLE JOINT COMPANY, OFCHICAGO, ILLINOIS, CORPORATION OF SOUTH 'DAKOTA.'

FLEXIBLE FLUID-JOINT.

Specification of LettersPatent.

Patented Jan. 1, 1907.

- To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES GILBERT HAW- LEY, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and a resident of Chicago, Cook county, Illinois, have inventeda certain new, useful, and Improved Flexible Fluid-Joint, of which thefollowing is a full, clear, and exact description, such as will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

My invention relates to flexible joints for various-fluids, andparticularly for steam and hot water under pressure.

The invention has special reference to im provements in ball-and-socketjoints for steam and water pipes or conduits; and the object of theinvention is to simplify the construction of ball-and-socket joints andto lessen the cost thereof Without loss of efficiency.

My invention consists, generally, in a balland-socket joint comprising aball member and a socket member, each composed of two or more partshaving ball-and-socket sur-' faces, all as hereinafter described, andparticularly pointed out in the claims.

The invention will be more readily understood by reference to theaccompanying drawing, forming a part of this invention, in Whicho Arepresents the socket memben'and B the ball member, of my novel joint.member referably comprises the cup 2., having a ball socket portion3'and provided with an internal thread 4 at its upper end, takentogether with a nipple portion 5, having a threaded flange 6, that isscrewed into the cup 2. The nipple portion 5 contains a duct 7 and isprovided with a partial ball-surface 8. The ball member is composed ofthree parts, the portion 9, having the long threaded shank 10 andcontaining the duct 11, the ball portion or ring 12, and thepacking-gasket 13. The inner end of the ball portion 9 is provided witha ball surface or end 14 to swing or ,move in proximity to theballsurface 8 of the socket member. 14 and 8 need not be finished ortooled, as they are merely stops to prevent undue vibration of the ballwithin the socket. The ring 12 has a polygonal portion 15 and is screwedupon the shank 10. Its ball-surface The socket The members.

ber. Both portions-9 and 12 are of metal, and I prefer that the portions2 and 9 shall be of brass and the portion or ring 12 of steel. The upperor inner surface of the ring 12 contains a gasket-recess, and thecompressible gasket 13, preferably composed of non-me.-

tallic material, is confined between the top surface 17 of the portion12 and the bottom shoulder 18 of the portion 9. I prefer that theconstruction shall be such that the art 9 will enter the recess in thering 12, an thus wholly inclose the packing or gasket 13. The gasket 13closes the joint betweenthe vball portions 9 and 12, and a tight jointis made between the ball-surfaces and the socket members, pressure ofsteam or water 2 tallic socket-gaskets, and may be easily dismemberedfor the purposes of inspection or repair. My joint or coupling possessesthe further advantage of not being detrimentally affected by expansionand-is also extremely durable.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent- 1. A balland-socket joint. of the class describedcomprising a substantially cylindrical socket member having asocket-surface at its inner end, in combination with a ball portionhaving a threaded shank, a ball-ring secured upon said shank, suitablepacking between said ball portion and said ball-ring, a nipple having athreaded flange portion adapted to screw in the threaded end of saidcylindrical socket member and provided with an internal stop-surface,substantially as described.

2. In a ball-and-socket joint of the class described, a socket memberhaving a ballsocket, 3, at its inner end, and a stop-surface, 8, nearitsouter end, in combination with a ball portion having a stop-surface atits inner end and provided with a threaded shank, a ball-ring arrangedupon said threaded shank and fitting the socket, 3, and suitable pack-16 fits the ball-socket 8 of the socket meml duct or cavity and providedwith a ballsocket, 3, at its inner end, in combination with a ballportion, 9, having its inner end in proximity to an inner wall of saidsocket member, said ball portion, 9, having a threaded shank and ashoulder, 18, a ballring, 12, screwed upon said shank and pro vided witha packingrecess, and a gasket or packing, 13, rovided in said recessbetween the ring and t e shoulder of said ball portion, 9, substantiallyas described.

4:. A ball-and-socket joint of the class described, com rising the cupportion, 2, having a ball-soc et, 3, in its end, incombination with anipple portion, 5, containingaduct, 7, secured in said cup portion, 2, aball-ring, '12,

fitting the said socket, 3, a .ball portion, 9, having a shank, 10,whereon said ring is secured, said ball portion containing a duct, 11,said ball and nipple portions being provided with sphericalstop-surfaces 14; and 8, re- 20 CHARLES GILBERT HAWLEY.

WVitnesses:

EDWARD E. SILK, JOHN R. LEFEVRE,

